By Kimmie Gordon, reprinted with permission. All rights reserved in original author.
April 22, 2017-GCS Superintendent Cheryl Pruitt filed an ’order dismissing petition for protection’ in open court last week, dissolving all malicious and slanderous claims against board member Carlos Tolliver of whom she alleged made verbal threats against her.

Pruitt was granted an emergency order of protection against Tolliver in February after claiming she was verbally threatened by him on two separate occasions. Tolliver’s attorney, Darnail Lyles said the order was devised to deliberately keep Tolliver away from meetings, “The whole thing was a stunt to limit Tolliver’s involvement on the School Board.” Tolliver is one of two board members who has clashed with Pruitt on several proposals, most recently the proposed hire of two contractual agreements for employee-hires (a move discredited by the DUAB and state legislators), and the Edison contract with Roosevelt. Tolliver, known to be outspoken against wasteful spending, was unable to attend school board meetings because of the order.

Attorney Lyles was preparing to take Pruitt’s deposition which would have revealed highly specific details and information about her personal life and her duties and decisions as GCS superintendent. Witnesses backing Pruitt on her claim, Antuwan Clemons, Rosie Washington, Marlon Mitchell and Roy Hamilton, were also intended to be called for depositions in the case against Tolliver. The case is now closed.